Slamming steel door mistaken for gunshots at Waterloo apartment building

11/16/2014 03:16 EST
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Updated
01/16/2015 05:59 EST

CBC

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Waterloo Regional Police started shutting down roads and evacuating the area around Hazel Street in Waterloo, when multiple people called in about hearing gunshots in an apartment building on Saturday afternoon.

After a couple hours of investigation, the culprit turned out to be a steel door, which was being repeatedly slammed shut. Police who heard the slamming door thought it could be gunshots as well.

Insp. Chris Goss said public safety is always "a paramount concern" to police.

However, after investigating thoroughly, Goss said police were "happy to find out that those people [who called police]…were in the end, wrong."

Police found no evidence of gunfire and do not believe the individual intended to frighten people. Goss said around eight police cruisers were present at the scene.

"It's a great training exercise," said Goss. "The other thing I take away from it is we live in a community that's concerned when they hear things that don't feel right to them, and they're comfortable in calling the police. And to us, that's a really good feeling."